With iOS 16, Apple introduced a new lock screen for the iPhone that lets users customize it with different widgets, font styles, and even multiple wallpapers. However, the update removed classic iPhone wallpapers, and users who still had one of them before installing the update were unable to customize it. But that has changed with iOS 16.3.
Customize your iPhone lock screen with a classic iOS wallpaper
Although Apple doesn’t mention it in the release notes for iOS 16.3, the latest update to the iPhone operating system lets users add widgets to a classic wallpaper, but only if you still have it. You can also change the font style.
Previously, when the user tried to customize the lock screen with a classic wallpaper that came with a version prior to iOS 16, the system would warn that the lock screen couldn’t be customized and the user would have to choose a new wallpaper. With this change, iOS asks the user if they want to add a new wallpaper or customize the current one.
Here’s what the message says:
Customize Current Lock Screen
Customizing the current Lock Screen replaces the current Home Screen wallpaper. Adding a new wallpaper keeps the current wallpaper and creates an additional one.
Unfortunately, Apple still doesn’t give users the option to choose from other classic wallpapers with iOS 16. And if you remove your classic wallpaper, it can no longer be added back. Due to the new lock screen, which has animations and images that interact with the clock and widgets, the iOS 16 wallpapers are no longer static images. Instead, they are rendered in real time.
But if you want to download these classic wallpapers from older iOS versions to your device, we still have the image files available here:
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Back in November, Google announced that Gmail would directly show package and delivery tracking in your inbox. If this feature isn’t live yet, you can manually enable it in Gmail settings.
This new Gmail package tracking shows when a delivery is arriving directly in the inbox view underneath an email. There’s a truck icon and “Arriving [date]” in green.
Additionally, Gmail has redesigned the information that appears when you open a message. It’s now housed in a card with Dynamic Color used for the background. In the top-left corner you get an image preview, name, and delivery date (“From the carrier”) again. You might also see a store-specific “Order number” with the ability to quickly copy. Underneath that is an order timeline with shortcuts to “Track package” on the web and “Order details.”
Compared to the previous design, you actually see less information with “Items” truncated if you have multiple items.
When this feature was announced in early November, Google said it was rolling out on Android and iOS in the coming weeks. Once available, there’d be a “Track your packages in Gmail” card at the top of your inbox.
For those that haven’t been prompted by the card, you can (on Android) open Gmail Settings from the navigation drawer > select your email address > scroll to “General” > Package tracking — “Google will share tracking numbers for your packages with shipping carriers. You’ll get status updates here in Gmail.”
On iOS, open the redesigned settings and scroll to “Data privacy” near the bottom.
You can disable it if you prefer the old view, while Google plans to “proactively show a delay label and bring the email to the top of your inbox” in the coming months. It’s also coming to Gmail on the web.
More on Gmail:
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You might be happy with everything your iPhone can do, but if you’re running iOS 16, your phone is more powerful than you might think. Underneath all the major new features, like unsending text messages and a revamped lock screen, there are lesser known tools and settings that are just as impressive and can help make your day-to-day more efficient, interesting and fun.
I’m going to walk you through what to know about the best hidden gems in iOS 16, like password-protected photo albums and easily accessible Wi-Fi passwords.
Read more: All the New Features on iOS 16.3
And while you’re here, make sure you also brush up on the major new iOS 16 features you’ll love and a few that you might just hate (luckily, there’s a fix).
View and share saved Wi-Fi passwords
View and share saved Wi-Fi passwords Apple has allowed iOS users to share Wi-Fi passwords for a while now, but only by placing two Apple devices near each other. And if that feature didn’t automatically work, you couldn’t just dig out the password from your settings. Plus if you wanted to share a saved Wi-Fi password with someone else, like an Android user or someone on a computer, you had to remember the password. Until now.
In Settings, go to Wi-Fi and tap the tiny information icon to the right of the network you want the password for. To view the network password, tap the Password section and then use Face ID or enter your passcode to view it. You can then tap Copy to copy the password into your clipboard and share it.
You can view the password for any Wi-Fi network you’ve ever connected to, as long as you’re currently connected to it or near enough that it appears under My Networks.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Find and remove duplicate photos and videos
Maybe you’ve saved the same photo multiple times or downloaded a video more than once, resulting in duplicates littering up your photo album. It may not be a problem if you’ve got storage to spare, but you’re running out of space, you can now remove every single duplicate easily with iOS 16.
Read more: You Can Finally See Your Saved Wi-Fi Passwords on an iPhone
In Photos > Albums, you should see a new Duplicates album under Utilities. Apple scans through all of your photos and shows you any photo or video you’ve saved more than once in that album. From there, you can either delete any duplicates, or simply press Merge, which will keep the photo with the highest quality (and relevant data) and then move the others to the trash.
Merging will keep the highest quality photo and delete the rest.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Although you’ll probably want to go through each set of duplicates, to ensure that they’re actually exact copies and not similar photos, you can also hit Select > Select All > Merge to remove every single photo and video that Apple thinks is a duplicate, all at once.
Hang up a phone or FaceTime call with Siri
Siri does a lot of things. You can use the virtual assistant to send a text message, get directions or play music — but one thing she’s never been able to do is hang up a phone call. Weird right? Now that’s finally a possibility with iOS 16.
In Settings, go to Siri & Search and first make sure Listen for “Hey Siri” is toggled on. If it is, you should see a new option underneath — Call Hang Up. Go into that option and toggle on Call Hang Up. When you’re on a phone call or FaceTime video chat, simply say, “Hey, Siri,” and ask her to hang up your current call.
For this to work, Listen for “Hey Siri” must be toggled on first.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Pair Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons with your iPhone
Apple has long allowed you to pair third-party controllers, like the PS5 Sony DualSense and Xbox Core Controller, to your iPhone and iPad, in order to more comfortably play mobile video games like the Apple Arcade library, Minecraft and Call of Duty. Now you can add another console controller to that list.
If you own a Nintendo Switch, you can now pair your Joy-Con controllers to your iPhone or iPad running iOS 16. To start, hold down the little black pairing button on the Joy-Con, until the green lights start running back and forth. This means the device is in pairing mode. Next, open your iPhone and go to Settings > Bluetooth and select the Joy-Con from the list. Repeat this step with the other Joy-Con.
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iOS 16: Powerful Features You May Have Missed
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Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are now password protected
The Hidden album in the Photos app is clearly not hidden, seeing as anyone can easily find it. That makes it impractical for adequately hiding private photos and videos. While Apple does have an option to make the Hidden album “invisible,” anyone with access to your phone could make it visible again and view everything inside.
Thanks to iOS 16, you can now lock the Hidden album. You don’t actually need to do anything to toggle this feature on. If you want to check it out, launch the Photos app and go to the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen. If you scroll down, you’ll see a tiny lock next to the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums. To view the contents of those albums, you’ll need to use Face ID or your passcode.
The Hidden and Recently Deleted albums now require Face ID to be accessed.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Copy and paste photo and video edits
If you use the editor tool in the Photos app, you’ll be happy to learn that you can now copy and paste edits, including saturation, contrast and brightness, between photos. If you edit one photo or video and are happy with the look, you can paste those same exact edits to any other photo or video in your camera roll.
To do this, launch the Photos app and open a photo that’s been edited in full-screen. Next, tap on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and then hit Copy Edits. This option will only appear if the photo has been edited within Photos, not any third-party photo editor. Finally, go to the photo you want to copy these edits over to, tap on the three-dot menu and then hit Paste Edits. After a second or so, you should see the photo edits appear.
This feature works between photos and videos.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Bring haptic feedback to your keyboard
The iPhone has long had haptic feedback. It’s what you feel underneath your fingertips whenever you attempt to delete an app from your home screen or enter the incorrect password on your lock screen. Strangely enough, haptic feedback has never been available for the stock iOS keyboard — until now.
If you want to enable a slight vibration for every single key you type in, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle on Haptic. The sound option you see is the loud and annoying clacking sound you might hear when you type in something and your phone isn’t on silent mode, so you can keep that disabled.
Every single time you type, you’ll feel a slight vibration for each key you hit.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Pin your favorite tabs in Safari
Safari caps your open tabs at 500, and if you’re nearing that limit, it might be pretty darn hard to find the exact tab you’re looking for. You could scroll endlessly, but there’s now an easier way to find the exact tab you’re looking for.
In Safari, if you press down on an open tab, you now have the option to hit Pin Tab. This will move that tab to the top of Safari, where it will exist as a tiny tab preview, permanently pinned there, which you can then tap to view. If you press down and unpin a tab, it will move to first in your grid of open tabs.
All your pinned tabs appear at the top of Safari.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Use Face ID while you’re lying down
If you’ve ever tried to unlock your iPhone while it’s vertical, like when you’re lying on your side, you might have noticed that it doesn’t work. You have to place your iPhone in portrait orientation, or upright, for Face ID to work. With iOS 16, you can finally use Face ID to unlock your iPhone when it’s in landscape orientation. However, for this to work, you must have an iPhone 13 or 14 running iOS 16.
Copy your screenshots to your clipboard without saving them
You don’t need to save a screenshot to your photo album to share it with someone else. A new iOS 16 feature allows you to take a screenshot, copy it to your clipboard, delete it from your phone and paste it where you see fit. After you take a screenshot, tap the screenshot preview that appears, hit Done on the top-right and then tap Copy and Delete to copy the screenshot to your clipboard.
If you take a lot of screenshots, this feature can help you save storage.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
Remove more preinstalled Apple apps
Since iOS 10, you’ve been able to remove some preinstalled iOS applications like Stocks, Maps and Calculator — but not all of them. With the release of iOS 16, you can add three more apps to this list of ones you can remove: Find My, Clock and Health. However, deleting these apps can negatively affect and break support with other apps and connected devices, like your Apple Watch.
For more on iOS 16 and the iPhone, check out the iOS 16 Cheat Sheet.
Target’s first exclusive electronic’s brand, Heyday, is having a 50% sale on many of their products right now—and you may notice that a lot of these products have a striking similarity to Apple products. So if you’re in the market for an Apple-like product and don’t mind not having the real deal, this might be the time to give Heyday a shot. These deals are online-only.
What is Heyday?
Heyday was first launched in 2018 by Target as a way to target millennials and Gen Z shoppers. The line includes headphones, earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, Lightning cords, Apple Watch bands, phone cases, and other accessories. Their main aim is to have affordable, quality tech accessories that Gen Z and millennials would want. Here are some of the best deals you can get right now from Target’s Heyday sale—and how they compare in price to their more expensive Apple counterparts.
This Heyday silicone case for AirPods with a clip is half off, and it’s comparable to Apple’s equivalent, which goes for $30 on their website. Honestly, nobody will know the difference.
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Up to 40% off
Samsung Smart TVs
Vivid colors and deep blacks It’s Oscar season which means it’s time to binge all the nominations before the big day. Why not enjoy these pieces of art on a new TV from our friends at Samsung?
This Bluetooth keyboard is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Chrome (that’s two more than Apple’s keyboard). You can connect up to three different devices and switches between them with a tap, and it uses two AAA batteries. Or if you’d rather pay $100 for Apple’s equivalent, it’s your money.
Sure, Heyday’s iPhone stand will not hold your fancy Apple Watch along with your iPhone, but it will hold your phone just as well and charge it with the same MagSafe wireless charging. And it’s less than a fifth of the price to Apple’s (really Otterbox’s) equivalent at $130.
This charger, or wall adapter, gives you the ability to charge up to two devices at the same time. It’s compatible with Android, Apple, and personal computers. It also has surge and short circuit protection. Apple’s equivalent will run you $59.
Heyday’s charging pad has the same MagSafe technology to charge your phone wirelessly. It has a display charge indicator light to let you know the device is charging. Just place your phone on top and watch it magically juice up. Apple’s equivalent costs $39.
This one isn’t Heyday’s, but it’s still over 50% off on Target. The iPhone 13 Pro case has MagSafe technology just like Apple’s and will run you less than half the price as Apple’s equivalent.
OK, Heyday’s power bank is not nearly as good as Apple’s MagSafe battery pack, but look at those pretty colors. Also, it’ll run you a tenth of the price for the minor inconvenience of being a wired charger.
Straightforward win here: Unless Apple is getting their plastic for their Apple Watches’ band from a different planet, you’ll very likely to get a similar product for five times cheaper.
Apple now lets you protect your Apple ID and iCloud account with hardware security keys, a physical login technology that offers maximum protection from hackers, identity thieves and snoops.
Hardware security keys are small physical devices that communicate with USB or Lightning ports or with NFC wireless data connections when you’re logging on to a device or in to an account. You must have keys in your possession to use them, so they’re effective at thwarting hackers trying to reach your account remotely. And because they won’t work on fake login sites, they can thwart phishing attacks that try to fool you into typing your password onto a counterfeit website.
Support for the keys arrived Monday with iOS 16.3 and MacOS 13.2, and on Tuesday, Apple published details on how to use security keys with iPhones, iPads and Macs. The company requires you to set up at least two keys.
The move follows hardware security key support from other tech companies, like Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Facebook parent Meta.
Apple has been working to tighten security in recent months, stung by iPhone breaches involving NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Apple’s Advanced Data Protection option arrived in December, giving a stronger encryption option to data stored and synced with iCloud. And in September, Apple added an iPhone Lockdown Mode that includes new guardrails on how your phone works to thwart outside attacks.
A big caveat, though: Although hardware security keys and the Advanced Data Protection program lock down your account better, they also mean Apple can’t help you recover access.
“This feature is designed for users who, often due to their public profile, face concerted threats to their online accounts, such as celebrities, journalists, and members of government,” Apple said in a statement. “This takes our two-factor authentication even further, preventing even an advanced attacker from obtaining a user’s second factor in a phishing scam.”
Industry tightens login security
The technology is part of an industrywide tightening of authentication procedures. Thousands of data breaches have shown the weaknesses of traditional passwords, and hackers now can thwart common two-factor authentication technologies like security codes sent by text message. Hardware security keys and another approach called passkeys offer peace of mind even when it comes to serious attacks like hackers gaining access to LastPass customers’ password manager files.
Hardware security keys have been around for years, but the Fast Identity Online, or FIDO, group has helped standardize the technology and integrate its use with websites and apps. One big advantage on the web is they’re linked to specific websites, for example Facebook or Twitter, so they thwart phishing attacks that try to get you to log in to fake websites. They’re the foundation for Google’s Advanced Protection Program, too, for those who want maximum security.
MacOS and iOS let you protect your iCloud account and Apple ID with hardware security keys.
Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET
You need to pick the right hardware security keys for your devices. To communicate with relatively new models of both Macs and iPhones, a key that supports USB-C and NFC is a good option. Apple requires you to have two keys, but it isn’t a bad idea to have more in case you lose them. A single key can be used to authenticate to many different devices and services, like your Apple, Google and Microsoft accounts.
Yubico, the top maker of hardware security keys, announced on Tuesday two new FIDO-certified YubiKey models in its Security Key Series suited for consumers. They both support NFC, but the $29 model has a USB-C connector and the $25 model has an older style USB-A connector.
Google, Microsoft, Apple and other allies are also working to support a different FIDO authentication technology called passkeys. Passkeys are designed to replace passwords altogether, and they don’t require hardware security keys.
Apple’s iOS 16.3 update is available now, and it brings new features, bug fixes and security updates to your iPhone. The update was released alongside updates for other Apple software, too, like iPadOS, Safari and previous versions of iOS. The latest iOS update arrives about a month after the release of iOS 16.2.
Here are the new features landing on your iPhone with iOS 16.3.
Support for the second-gen HomePod
Apple’s iOS 16.3 software will support the second-generation HomePod, which is set to be released on Feb. 3 for $299 (£299, AU$479). Apple announced the release of the new HomePod four days before the latest iOS software was made available.
New Unity wallpaper for Black History Month
Screenshot by Zach McAuliffe/CNET
The latest iOS update includes a new iPhone wallpaper as part of Apple’s Black Unity Collection. The collection celebrates Black History Month with a special-edition Apple Watch Black Unity Sport Loop, a mosaic watch face and the new iPhone wallpaper. Apple also plans to release a selection of Black History Month content for Apple TV, Fitness Plus, Music, Maps, Books, Podcasts and the App Store as part of the collection.
New ways to use Emergency SOS via satellite
Emergency SOS via satellite was introduced at Apple’s event in September. In iOS 16.3, the Call with Hold option has been replaced with Call with Hold and Release. If you enable Call with Hold and Release, you can hold the side button and a volume button to initiate a countdown and an alarm. After the countdown, you release the buttons and your iPhone will call emergency services on its own. Before with Call with Hold, pressing the side button and a volume button would first bring up the Emergency SOS call slider. If you continued to hold the buttons, a countdown started and an alarm would go off. After the countdown ended, your phone would make an emergency call.
Security keys add more protection to your device.
Screenshot by Zach McAuliffe/CNET
There’s also an option to Call Quietly in Emergency SOS. By enabling this option, when you try to make an emergency SOS call, your phone won’t start flashing or making an alarm sound.
Security keys come to Apple ID
Users can now use third-party security keys instead of two-factor authentication for their Apple ID.
Security keys are a lot like keys to your home. You still use passwords, but this extra layer of security can help protect you against phishing scams and hackers.
“Hardware security keys are very, very secure,” Diya Jolly, chief product officer of authentication service company Okta, told CNET’s Stephen Shankland.
Apple’s security keys feature only works with FIDO Alliance-certified security keys.
Here is the list of new features and changes included in iOS 16.3.
New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month.
Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices.
Support for HomePod (second generation).
Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls.
Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards.
Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen.
Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status.
Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests
Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly.
For more iOS 16 news, see what new features were added in iOS 16.2 and iOS 16.1. Here’s how you can sign up to test Apple’s iOS beta software, too.
Apple now lets you protect your Apple ID and iCloud account with hardware security keys, a significant upgrade for those who want maximum protection from hackers, identity thieves, or snoops.
Hardware security keys are small physical devices that communicate with USB or Lightning ports or with NFC wireless data connections when you’re logging on to a device or in to an account. Because you must have keys in your possession to use them, they’re effective at thwarting hackers trying to reach your account remotely. And they won’t work on fake login sites, so they can thwart phishing attacks that try to fool you into typing your password onto a counterfeit websites.
Support for the keys arrived Monday with iOS 16.3 and MacOS 13.2, and on Tuesday, Apple published details on how to use security keys with iPhones, iPads and Macs. The company requires you to set up at least two keys.
Apple has been working to tighten security in recent months, stung by iPhone breaches involving NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Apple’s Advanced Data Protection option arrived in December, giving a stronger encryption option to data stored and synced with iCloud. And in September, Apple added an iPhone Lockdown Mode that includes new guardrails on how your phone works to thwart outside attacks.
A big caveat, though: Although hardware security keys and the Advanced Data Protection program lock down your account better, they also mean Apple can’t help you recover access.
“This feature is designed for users who, often due to their public profile, face concerted threats to their online accounts, such as celebrities, journalists, and members of government,” Apple said in a statement. “This takes our two-factor authentication even further, preventing even an advanced attacker from obtaining a user’s second factor in a phishing scam.”
Industry tightens login security
The technology is part of an industrywide tightening of authentication procedures. Thousands of data breaches have shown the weaknesses of traditional passwords, and hackers now can thwart common two-factor authentication technologies like security codes sent by text message. Hardware security keys and another approach called passkeys offer peace of mind even to serious attacks like hackers gaining access to LastPass customers’ password manager files.
Hardware security keys have been around for years, but the Fast Identity Online, or FIDO, group has helped standardize the technology and integrate its use with websites and apps. One big advantage on the web is they’re linked to specific websites, for example Facebook or Twitter, so they thwart phishing attacks that try to get you to log in to fake websites. They’re the foundation for Google’s Advanced Protection Program, too, for those who want maximum security.
Apple added hardware security key support to iOS 16.2 and MacOS 13.2.
Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET
You need to pick the right hardware security keys for your devices. To communicate with relatively new models of both Macs and iPhones, a key that supports USB-C and NFC is a good option. Apple requires you to have two keys, but it isn’t a bad idea to have more in case you lose them. A single key can be used to authenticate to many different devices and services, like your Apple, Google and Microsoft accounts.
Yubico, the top maker of hardware security keys, announced on Tuesday two new FIDO-certified YubiKey models in its Security Key Series suited for consumers. They both support NFC, but the $29 model has a USB-C connector and the $25 model has an older style USB-A connector.
Google, Microsoft, Apple and other allies are also working to support a different FIDO authentication technology called passkeys. Passkeys are designed to replace passwords altogether, and they don’t require hardware security keys.
After a month of beta testing, Apple is releasing iOS 16.3 to iPhone users everywhere today. This update includes a new way to secure your Apple ID, changes to Emergency SOS, and more. There’s also a brand new wallpaper that Apple has designed in honor of Black History Month.
Head below for the full release notes with everything new in iOS 16.3…
How to install iOS 16.3
iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3 are available to all iPhone and iPad models starting today. You can update by heading to the Settings app, choosing General, and then choosing Software Update. If you don’t see the update right away, be sure to keep checking as it can sometimes take a few minutes to hit every iPhone and iPad. The updates are expected to be available to everyone within the hour.
Once you begin the installation process, your iPhone or iPad will download the update, then prompt you to reboot your device to finish the process. Keep in mind your device will be unusable while it reboots to install the update.
Apple is also rolling out iOS 15.7.3 for older iPhones that do not support iOS 16, as well as iOS 12.5.7 for devices that do not support iOS 13 or newer.
What’s new in iOS 16.3?
Here are the new features in iOS 16.3:
New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month
Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices
Support for HomePod (2nd generation)
Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls
The update also includes some bug fixes and improvements for iPhone users:
Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards
Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen
Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max
Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status
Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests
Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly
What are you most looking forward to trying with iOS 16.3? Let us know down in the comments.
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Get ready for an update to iOS 16. iOS 16.3 is coming to your iPhone this week, bringing a few new features, some bug fixes and some tie-ins for Black History Month.
Word of iOS 16.3’s imminent release comes from Apple itself, which let the launch date slip in a press release highlighting the company’s efforts on behalf of Black History Month (opens in new tab) in February. Besides spotlights on curated content in the Music, TV, News and Podcasts apps, Apple is adding a Unity watch face and iPhone wallpaper that incorporates colors of the Pan-African flag.
(Image credit: Apple)
Both the Unity 2023 watch face and Unity iPhone wallpaper will require iOS 16.3. And in the fine print of Apple’s Black History Month announcement from yesterday (January 18), the company says the watch face and wall paper “will be available next week.” That would seemingly imply the iOS update is coming too.
Another sign that iOS 16.3 is on its way: a beta of the release candidate became available to developers this week. Usually, that means a full release isn’t that far off.
If you’ve been following the iOS 16.3 beta process, you know that there’s not a whole lot of major features planned for this release. But Apple does have some additions set to go live once iOS 16.3 lands on your iPhone. Here’s what you can expect.
iOS 16.3: Security key authentication for Apple ID
Users looking for an extra layer of security between ne’er-do-wells and their Apple ID data will be able to add security key authentication tanks to iOS 16.3.
Apple announced this (opens in new tab) at the same time it revealed the addition of Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, which arrived for U.S. iPhone owners in iOS 16.2. At the time, Apple said it was targeting an early 2023 launch for security key authentication, which tracks with the iOS 16.3 release.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Physical security keys are meant to augment Apple’s existing two-factor authentication for Apple ID, particularly for iPhone owners whose public profile makes them likely targets for hackers. Think celebrities, politicians and — looks around nervously — journalists.
When this feature is enabled, you’ll need a physical security key as one of the two factors for signing into your Apple ID account.
Improved HomePod Handoff
There’s an enhancement to the Handoff feature that transfers control of music playback from an iPhone to a HomePod speaker, an especially timely addition given this week’s arrival of the Apple HomePod 2. While Handoff has existed for some time, iOS 16.3 introduces a new guide that more clearly shows HomePod owners how to use the Handoff capability.
(Image credit: Apple)
The guide tells you to bring your iPhone within range of the HomePod to view your playback controls or pass audio playing on your phone to the smart speaker. It also tells you to do this again if you want to see the controls or transfer the audio back again later.
New Emergency SOS via satellite call modes
iPhone 14 users already have access to Emergency SOS via satellite if they need help while in a remote location, but iOS 16.3 is adding two new ways to access it.
(Image credit: Future)
Call with Hold and Release replaces the existing Call with Hold function, letting you access Emergency SOS and an alarm after holding down the power button and a volume button. The previous Call with Hold function required you to use a call slider to make an emergency call, something that wouldn’t necessarily be doable depending on your situation.
The other new option is Call Quietly. This lets you make an emergency call without setting off an alarm, in case that wouldn’t be useful or could endanger you further.
iOS 16.3 Global Advanced Data Protection
As we mentioned above, the iOS 16.2 update gave U.S. iPhone owners access to Advanced Data Protection. That’s a new security feature brings end-to-end encryption to Apple’s iCloud storage service, protecting info you’re stored in the cloud (with the exception of Mail, Contacts and Calendar data).
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Apple had promised to bring Global Advanced Data Protection to other parts of the world with a future iOS update, and based on comments from people who’ve been using the iOS 16.3 beta (opens in new tab), that time has come. As before, to enable Advanced Data Protection, launch Settings, tap on your name, followed by iCloud. From there, you can turn on the security feature.
iOS 16.3 bug fixes
iOS 16.3 release notes detail several fixes coming via this software update. The biggest one involves a bug where horizontal lines would appear on some iPhone 14 Pro Max models as the phones were waking up. Additionally, iOS 16.3 fixes assorted issues involving Siri, Car Play and the iPhone lock screen.
iOS 16.2 included a new architecture for Apple’s Home app, but just as quickly as that feature arrived, Apple pulled it from the iPhone software. Users complained of some HomeKit devices becoming stuck in an “updating” or “configuring” status, while other devices were missing entirely from the Home app, among other bugs. The new architecture returns in iOS 16.3, presumably now that Apple’s ironed out those issue.
What’s still missing
Even though iOS 16 has been around since the fall of 2022, not all the features Apple has promised are live yet. We’re still waiting on the launch of a dedicated Apple Music Classical app, though there are reports that the iOS 16.3 release candidate contains code (opens in new tab) hinting at such a service.
Apple Pay Later, which lets you break up payments through Apple Pay into four installments, has yet to launch as well. Perhaps that will be a part of iOS 16.4, which will likely appear in beta form not long after iOS 16.3’s release.
Publisher Square Enix [5,089 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/square-enix”>Square Enix and developer Koei Tecmo Games [2,892 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/koei-tecmo-games”>Koei Tecmo have announced “melee command battle RPG [14,822 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/rpg”>RPG” Dragon Quest Champions [1 article]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/dragon-quest-champions”>Dragon Quest Champions for iOS and Android. A release date was not announced. Square Enix’s Takuma Shiraishi [27 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/people/takuma-shiraishi”>Takuma Shiraishi is the producer, and Koei Tecmo’s Tomohiko Sho is the chief director.
A closed beta test will run from February 6 to 13. Applications are available here until January 29. Only 20,000 users will be accepted (10,000 iOS users and 10,000 Android users).
Here is an overview of the game, via its official website:
About
A melee Dragon Quest [47 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/series/dragon-quest”>Dragon Quest command battle RPG that you can play solo!
Utilizing the series’ familiar command-style battle system, players will aim to win tournaments of wisdom and courage against various enemies to become a true hero.
In Tournament Mode, up to 50 players will battle in real-time. Fight fair and square, run away, or even barge your way into other people’s fights. Obtain the title of Champion by your own methods!
Additionally, there are plenty of solo gameplay elements such as Story Mode and all sorts of quests.
Get ready to set off on a new Adventure [656 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/genres/adventure”>adventure that everyone can enjoy!
Story
Victory will open the door of promise.
Long, long ago… the Demon King’s plan to rule the world was crushed by the hero and their two companions.
Some time has passed since then… In a world of continued peace, the people are absorbed in the “Heroic Martial Arts Tournaments” that honor the legacy of the ancient hero.
Meanwhile, a young person sets off from a certain village to participate in the tournaments.
With the words their father once told them when they were young held closely in their heart.
“Only those who have won all Heroic Martial Arts Tournaments can become true heroes. We must accomplish this by our own hands.”
And so now is the time to follow in their father’s footsteps and fulfill their promise. A new legend is about to be born!
Characters
Protagonist – An adventurer who aspires to become a hero. To find their missing father, they decide to participate in the Heroic Martial Arts Tournaments.
Elmia – A lively, self-proclaimed manager who shares the protagonist’s fate. She is old friends with the healslime Homit.
Homit – A charming guide who loves to cheer on others. While he is not good at fighting on his own, he is always there to advise the protagonist.
Zelam – The protagonist’s rival. Determined and confident. He dislikes relying on or cooperating with others.
Dralin – A dracky that provides live commentary for the Heroic Martial Arts Tournaments. His funky style and passionate commentary livens up the tournament.
Watch the announcement presentation archive below.
